


I Would Rather Look at You (Than All the Portraits in the World)

by tomfoolery14



Series: Dialogue Prompts [5]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Early Mornings, M/M, Morning Kisses, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 03:38:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15525201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomfoolery14/pseuds/tomfoolery14
Summary: It was an old past time, one that hadn’t been revisited in nearly a century. He’d always been an artist that required a muse; he needed passion and inspiration to create. The beautiful image Alec made, blissfully drowning in silk sheets, was exactly what Magnus needed to relight the flame.Which was how he found himself settled against the window, a sketchbook in hand and a worn graphite pencil cradled between his fingers.





	I Would Rather Look at You (Than All the Portraits in the World)

**Author's Note:**

> from the dialogue prompt "i can't hold this much longer"
> 
> title from [this](https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/having-coke-you) poem

The sun was only just rising, the sky colored by beautiful shades of pink, orange, and red bleeding together. The glass of the window panes were only just starting to warm where Magnus’ back was pressed against it.

He’d woken up with his head tucked under Alec’s chin, a feeling of bone-deep satisfaction radiating through him. He had been struck by the peaceful expression on his lover’s face that unfortunately seemed to only come about when he slept; his lips were relaxed and slightly parted, his brow was smooth, and his breathing was slow and even. As Magnus indolently took him in, he felt the urge to sketch the view.

It was an old past time, one that hadn’t been revisited in nearly a century. He’d always been an artist that required a muse; he needed passion and inspiration to create. The beautiful image Alec made, blissfully drowning in silk sheets, was exactly what Magnus needed to relight the flame.

Which was how he found himself settled against the window, a sketchbook in hand and a worn graphite pencil cradled between his fingers. Charcoal grey smudges accentuated the ridges of his fingerprints from the smudging of harsh lines. Alec was sharp angles in some places, like the set of his jaw and the cut of his shoulder blades, but his features were soft and rounded.

A soft exhalation of breath made him look up—Alec shifted sleepily, rolling onto his side so that he was now almost directly facing Magnus. With an affectionate grin, Magnus returned to his work, the soft scratching of his pencil the only other sound in the room. Only a minute later, Alec stirred again, seeming to be searching for the familiar weight of Magnus against him.

“I’m right here, Alexander,” Magnus murmured just loudly enough to be heard.

Alec cracked one hazel eye open, and then the other groggily followed. “What are you doing?” His voice was so soft and delicate, fragile like tissue paper. It was an honor to get to see him like this, when he was comfortable and safe and free to be. Magnus had promised himself he would never take that for granted, and he had no intention of ever breaking that promise.

“You make quite the masterpiece, and I was inspired,” Magnus replied, turning his sketchbook towards Alec.

“Mm,” Alec hummed groggily, rubbing his cheek against the pillow to find the soft spot he’d made in it. “I shouldn’t be surprised anymore that you have all these special talents.”

“I had to find some way to occupy myself all these years.” Magnus smiled to himself, rounding out the curve of Alec’s shoulder and the way it swept down into his arm.

“Come back to bed,” Alec grumbled.

With a small shake of his head, Magnus continued his movements. “I’m almost finished. You can go back to sleep; it’s still early.”

“Can’t sleep without you.” Magnus envied the way Alec could so easily say exactly what he felt in the simplest terms. “Besides,” rolling over onto his elbow, Alec looked at Magnus with a lazy grin, “I can’t hold this much longer.”

“Your flare for the dramatics rivals even my own, and I hope you know I don’t say that lightly, Alexander.” Nonetheless, Magnus set down his sketchbook and pencil, shrugged off his robe, and made his way over to the bed. Lifting up the covers at the end of the bed, he slipped under them and crawled up Alec’s body, leaving soft kisses in his wake as he made his way up.

By the time he reached Alec’s chest, Alec had pushed most of the blankets off so he could look at him. Even with the little clumps of sleep stuck to his eyelashes and the way he had pillow creases stamped into his cheek, he looked ethereal. “Stay with me,” he whispered, pressing his lips to Magnus’ forehead.

“If that’s what you want.” Magnus was teasing, but there was a more sinister undercurrent to the statement that he hadn’t considered.

Using his fingers to force Magnus’ chin up, Alec looked him in the eye. “Don’t joke. I always want you, and I always will.”

“I truly love you, Alexander.” Magnus reached up to press his palm to Alec’s cheek, coaxing their mouths together.

“I love you,” Alec replied, tipping their foreheads together.

Magnus was certain this was the best morning he’d had in quite a while.

**Author's Note:**

> come find me on [tumblr](http://royaltybane.tumblr.com)


End file.
